Rufus & Martha Wainwright to Present 'A Not So Silent Night'

Rufus and Martha Wainwright are extremely happy to announce the date and some details for their annual Christmas show, “A Not So Silent Night,” to take place at The Town Hall on December 22.

A family tradition, the two siblings will be joined by their immediate family as well other members of the Wainwright and McGarrigle clans. Emmylou Harris is a part of the tradition too. She has been a part of almost every Christmas show since its inception since she had a strong creative history with the Wainwrights’ mother, Kate McGarrigle.

Norah Jones is also a returning guest to the annual show. Sean Ono Lennon, the Wainwrights’ dad Loudon Wainwright, and their half-sister Lucy Wainwright Roche are already confirmed to join in the spirit of the holidays as well. More special guests are to be announced soon.

“I am utterly excited to bring our holiday concert back to New York City after a hiatus of almost 5 years. These shows very much reflect who Martha and I are as artists and a family, slightly messy but incredibly powerful and emotional, festive, and fun. The Town Hall is one of my favorite venues to perform in. So many Greats have graced the stage, and it is a place that my mother Kate worshipped.” – Rufus Wainwright

“These Christmas shows, conceived of over 25 years ago by our mum, have BECOME our Christmas! There’s always a slight annoyance (and dread?) as we start preparing in June but by the time the show starts all the holiday magic in the world shows up on stage and the importance (and wonderful ridiculousness) of the holiday season is revealed. Most apparent though is the love and music that reigns” – Martha Wainwright

This annual holiday celebration has its roots in the childhood home of Rufus and Martha’s mother, the Canadian folk legend Kate McGarrigle. The family would carol in the living room of their wooden home in the Laurentian mountain town of St. Sauveur. This is very much still the spirit of these holiday shows that Kate, and later her children, brought to major concert halls around the world, from London’s Royal Festival Hall and Dublin’s National Concert Hall to New York’s Carnegie Hall and Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.

When Kate was tragically diagnosed with sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, she began to raise money and awareness for funding research into the disease as at the time there were no drugs available to treat it. In December 2009, she bravely performed her last family Christmas concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

For that show, she wrote a heartbreaking song, “Proserpina,” that tells the story of Hera bemoaning the loss of her daughter Proserpina who married Hades and would live with him for half of the year in the underworld and would return to her mother in the spring and summer bringing warmth and light. It mirrored her own situation as her daughter Martha was bound in London after the premature birth of her son Arcangelo and could not travel home to be with her dying mother.

Rufus and Martha continue Kate’s legacy with the Christmas shows, helping to raise awareness and money for the Kate McGarrigle Foundation for Sarcoma Research.

Rufus, Martha, and their guests will be musically supported by a superb band led by Music Director David Mansfield and Jon Cowherd on keys, Doug Wieselman on oboe and guitar, Shawn Pelton on drums, Armand Hirsch on guitar, and Tony Scherr on bass. Special merch items benefiting the Kate McGarrigle Fund will be available the night of the show.

VIP Gold tickets, which include the best seats in the house, attending part of the soundcheck, a group photo with Rufus and Martha, and a special signed merch item, are available. Also available is the opportunity to sing on the closing song of the first half, “Silent Night,” with Rufus, Martha, and family.

Prices range from USD85 to USD250 with the special choir option as a USD100 add on to any purchased ticket. VIP tickets and choir tickets are limited. 

A Not So Silent Night is presented by Murmrr.

Presale tickets are available today with code silent23: https://www.ticketmaster.com/rufus-and-martha-wainwrights-a-not-new-york-new-york-12-22-2023/event/03005F422F790803

For more information about the Kate McGarrigle Fund, please visit https://standuptocancer.org/kate-mcgarrigle-fund/.

Photo: Carsten Windhorst

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